Govs looking for leaders on O-line

CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. – A new group of seniors will be asked to lead an Austin Peay offensive line searching for depth when fall camp opens Sunday.

Team captains Ben Stansfield and Gavin Willison set the example on and off the field a year ago for a group that battled injuries and inconsistency throughout an 0-12 season. Their graduation leaves the Govs’ front line short on experience despite what coach Kirby Cannon said should be a strong starting five headed by seniors Isaiah Tuiasosopo, Nathan Sanders and Julian Virgo.

“I feel like everything that happens on the field is based off us,” said Virgo, who expects to start at right tackle. “We have to set the tone for everybody else.”

His only career start came in the season opener two years ago before an injury set him back and he failed to make his way back up the depth chart. More struggles to get on the field only gave Virgo more motivation, and he said his best spring ever and a solid summer have given him plenty of optimism.

Cannon also likes the new look of Tuiasosopo, who will be relied upon to play center after Travis Williams suffered season-ending injuries in a car accident over the summer. Sanders appears to be the top candidate to play right guard, and sophomore Tyler Miles earned himself a spot on the first team with a solid spring.

That leaves a vital hole to fill at left tackle, where Willison started and finished the season despite some early struggles last fall. The Govs tried to find an answer through recruiting when they signed junior college transfer Bernard Gauldin, a former all-district offensive lineman from Ridgley, Tennessee.

Cannon said other options are limited or unknown at best, including freshmen Franklin Green and Patrick Dalton. Sophomores Max Ewoldt and Zack Escue will also be looking to show they’ve improved their strength during the offseason when practice begins Monday at 9 a.m. at APSU’s soccer field.

“If those two improve enough to challenge for starting positions or give us some depth and one of those two freshmen end up being to play as freshmen and (Gauldin) is a guy that is immediately productive, we’re going to be OK,” Cannon said.

That’s a lot of “ifs” for a group all too familiar with getting thrown into the fire sooner than expected due to injuries or other issues, like the dismissal of potential starter O.C. Brown before the 2013 season. But Virgo has high hopes after spending all summer in Clarksville to work on his strength and conditioning now that he’s learned nothing will be given to him.

He said the new offense shouldn’t actually be much of an adjustment, and the quick routes should even take some pressure off a line that allowed 25 sacks in 2013. Strength and conditioning tests next week will give Cannon a better idea of whether the linemen are ready to go with the more uptempo, no-huddle approach.

Leadership questions may take longer to answer as the Govs try to develop chemistry with a mostly new unit. But Cannon said several players will get their opportunity, and most of the linemen should see the field at some point in the Aug. 31 opener at Memphis.